The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam collapsed at 20:00 on July 23, totally submerging five out of Sanamxay district’s villages, namely May, Hinlath, Nhaythe Sanong Tay, Thasengchan and Thahin. (Source: Attapeu Today) Vientiane (VNA) – Lao PrimeMinister Thongloun Sisoulith suspended the planned monthly meeting of thegovernment and led his cabinet members and other senior officials to Attapeu province’sSanamxay district to direct rescue and relief efforts after the collapse of theXepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam.
The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy hydropower dam collapsedat 20:00 on July 23, releasing 5 billion cu.m ofwater which caused flash flooding in 10 villages in lowerareas and completely isolated Sanamxay district. Five out of Sanamxay district’svillages, namely May, Hinlath, Nhaythe Sanong Tay, Thasengchan and Thahin, havebeen absolutely submerged.
The disaster, which was supposed to betriggered by downpours in recent days, has left more than 100 people missingand over 1,300 families with 6,600 people homeless. Rescuers have recovered thebodies of 28 people and are continuing to look for the missing.
Rescue and relief efforts are facing arange of challenges due to difficult traffic conditions. The central committee forrescue and relief is working with Sekong and Attapeu provinces and Division 5of the Lao army to deploy the rescue and relief campaign for victims.
Attapeu province’s authorities had previouslyurged the Party, government organizations, business community, officials, police andmilitary forces and people of all strata to provide emergency aid for thevictims of the disaster, such as clothing, food items, drinking water,medicines, cash and other relief items.
Being constructed by the Xe Pian-Xe NamnoyPower Company (PNPC), the 410 MW Xe Pian-Xe Namnoy hydroelectric power projectis located in the southern region of Laos and is estimated to have an annualenergy generation of approximately 1,860 GWh, according towww.power-technology.com.
PNPC is a joint-venture formed in March2012 by SK Engineering and Construction (SK E&C), Korea Western Power(KOWEPO), Ratchaburi Electricity Generating Holding (RATCH), and Lao HoldingState Enterprise (LHSE). SK E&C holds a 24 percent stake in PNPC, LHSE 26percent, and RATCH and KOWEPO equally own the remaining share in the project.
The project, which is estimated to cost 1.02billion USD, is the first build-operate-transfer (BOT) project to be undertakenby Korean companies in Laos.
The feasibility study for thehydroelectric project was completed in November 2008. Construction of theproject began in February 2013 and commercial operations are expected to beginin 2018.-VNA
VNA
